SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 19, 2026
Key takeaways
- Adam Baas has joined BakerHostetler’s San Francisco office as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and a member of the Environmental and Product Liability and Toxic Tort teams.
- Baas joins BakerHostetler from an Am Law 10 firm and has more than two decades of experience in high-stakes toxic tort, product liability and environmental litigation, as well as in environmental compliance and enforcement counseling and defense.
- He is one of the country’s leading emerging contaminants litigators, with more than a decade of experience with a group of chemicals known as PFAS, including ethylene oxide, 6PPD and other emerging contaminants.
- Baas’ arrival continues BakerHostetler’s commitment to strategic growth on the West Coast, where more than 120 attorneys have been added over the past five years. That included seven laterals hired in 2025, including a key team of three trademark and brand protection partners in the firm’s Los Angeles and Orange County offices and two prominent real estate partners in Seattle.
Why this matters
Baas bolsters BakerHostetler’s Chambers-ranked and nationally recognized Product Liability and Toxic Tort and Environmental teams, providing a sophisticated federal practice coupled with strong litigation chops and a robust understanding of complex state and local issues. His addition also aligns with the firm’s West Coast strategic plan of steady and smart expansion while achieving a full-service platform in its Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco and Seattle offices.
Key quotes
“Adam will fit right in at BakerHostetler because he fights hard for his clients. His 20-plus years of high-stakes toxic tort, product liability and environmental litigation experience across the chemical, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food, textile and agriculture sectors will be an important asset to our firm and clients. He is also an adept business counselor our clients will turn to for sound advice on managing their most critical environmental risks. We are excited to have Adam further strengthen our national team on the West Coast,” said Steven Dettelbach, chair of BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group.
“Adam has been a leading environmental and toxic tort litigator in the Bay Area for the past 14 years, and his addition adds game-changing litigation expertise in the area of emerging contaminants such as PFAS and ethylene oxide and bolsters the firm’s environmental capabilities in California and across the country,” said Robb Adkins, partner-in-charge of BakerHostetler’s San Francisco office. “His arrival further solidifies our full-service offerings on the West Coast, and we look forward to recruiting even more top talent in the years to come.”
About Baas’ practice
With more than two decades of experience in high-stakes product liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation, Baas has established himself as one of the country’s leading litigators in matters involving emerging contaminants in the air, water and sediment.
Throughout his notable career, Baas has developed a notable specialty litigating complex environmental matters concerning PFAS, an abbreviation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, benzene, methyl tertiary butyl ether, ethylene oxide, 6PPD and dioxin. His broad practice encompasses state attorneys general actions seeking natural resource damages under environmental statutes and novel product liability theories, as well as defending citizen suits under a variety of environmental laws, including completing a trial recently in federal court surrounding the use of 6PPD in tires.
Baas has been at the forefront of PFAS litigation for nearly a decade, leading discussions nationwide on the evolving state of the law and science surrounding these compounds. He has defended actions alleging PFAS contamination and exposure in both state and federal courts, including multidistrict litigation and putative class actions — including playing an important role in the national litigation surrounding PFAS historically present in firefighting foam.
Over the course of more than 20 years in state and federal courts, Baas has served as lead counsel representing corporate clients in a wide range of complex multi-plaintiff matters. He brings extensive experience navigating locally managed mass torts in state courts and national multidistrict litigation in federal courts. His collaborative work with the nation’s leading experts in toxicology, chemistry, hydrology and epidemiology provides his clients with a decisive advantage in complex scientific litigation.
Beyond litigation, Baas routinely assists clients in identifying and mitigating future risks related to emerging contaminants. His advisory practice includes counseling on regulatory compliance with state and federal environmental laws; representing companies in the remediation, purchase and sale of contaminated properties; negotiating access agreements; and reviewing environmental aspects of real estate transactions.
Baas received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Oregon.
With more than 420 litigators in offices coast to coast, BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group represents market-leading clients in virtually every type of case and proceeding, nationally and around the world. The group’s roster of litigators includes former prosecutors, veteran civil trial attorneys and former enforcement officials from various government agencies. Recognized as a go-to law firm for its deep bench, commitment to client needs and tenacity and named by BTI four years in a row as “Most Feared in Litigation,” BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group successfully protects clients in and out of the courtroom. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com/Litigation. Connect with us on LinkedIn at @BakerHostetler, @SteveDettelbach, @RobbAdkins or @AdamBaas or on the social platform X at @BakerHostetler.
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About BakerHostetler
BakerHostetler helps clients around the world address their most complex and critical business and regulatory issues. Our highly ranked attorneys deliver sophisticated counsel and outstanding client service. We have six core practice groups — Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Litigation, and Tax — and more than 1,000 lawyers coast to coast. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com.
